Why GE Labeling is Important for Washington’s Fishing Industry

Every person has the right to know what’s in his/her food. In the 21st century, the issue of food labeling is not solved yet. GE and GMO labeling arouse discussions all over the world. Consumers want to get information that they’re looking for.
While big corporations are trying to defeat food labeling in America, simple customers from Washington want to know what kind of fish they are going to serve on the table this weekend. Statistics show, that GE labeling is supported by 99% of the public. And those people who say they don’t bother about GE labeling, simply don’t understand the full extent of genetic engineering (EG).
To make a long story short, GE is a process of changing the genetic material in a living organism. Among the most popular GE products are corn, papaya, cotton, sugar beets, and fish. The main aim of genetically engineered products is to ease herbicide spraying for large farmers. Many products you buy in a grocery store may contain some GE ingredients. But GE labeling is good not only for you as a customer but also for the whole industry. For example, the fishing industry will definitely win from labeling GE fish.

GE Labeling and Fishing Industry

Fish labeling allows customers to make an informed choice whether to buy or not a GE fish when shopping in a grocery store. But what species of fish may be a GE product?
Salmon is the first fish generally engineered in a laboratory. But simple customers, as well as American partners who buy a canned salmon to sell it in their countries, are not ready to consume a GE fish without knowing it.
Fishing families, business owners, and shoppers in Washington need accurate fish labeling too. The biggest concern is that if GE species escape, they can potentially mate with native species. And the faster growth of GE salmon can drastically decrease the prices on wild salmon, which can be a huge loss for the budget of fishing families. The number of fishing business owners in Washington is high. And for now, their job directly depends on the fact whether the GE fishing sector is going to grow further, mixing with other organic products, or whether it is going to separate with the help of labeling. Both a fishing industry and simple customers can suffer from GE products. The regions where the level of fish consuming and selling is the highest will suffer the most.
GE foods are already required to be labeled in 15 European Union Nations as very controversial products. At the same time, America still is one of the most loyal to GE products country. But the Americans have the strong right to choose what kind of food to purchase and feed their families. Labeling will only help GE industry to take its own niche in the market.